Locomotive-fire-box arch



E. M. McLEAN AND 0. B. YODER.

LOCOMOTIVE FIRE BOX ARCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.9, 1916.

1,357,575. Patented ov. 2, 1920.

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UNITED STATES OFFICE.

M. MOLEAN AND CHARLES B. YODER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSO'iJ'IFtI, ASSIGNORS TO EVENS 8t HOWARD FIRE BRICK COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOlLl'f-l? T1011 OF MISSOURI.

A GOItIPORA- IiOCOMIOTIVE-FIRE-BOX ARCH.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

Application filed September 9, 19.16 "Serial No. 119,242.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, EDGAR M. MoLnAN and CHARLES B. Yoonn, citizens of the.

provements in locomotive furnaces andv more particularly to the arches which are usually located in the front port ons of the locomotive fire boxes. Thesearches are usually made up of specially formed bricks or blocks of refractory material said arches being for the purpose of directing the heat and products of combustion in their passage from the bed of fuel on the grates to the boiler flues.

The principal objects of our invention are to construct the arch forming bricks or blocks so that they may be readily assembled or taken apart; to form'th'e end por-.

tions of the bricks or blocks so that they will interlock when brought into proper assembled relation, thereby minimizing the tendency of the bricks or blocks to separate, particularly to such an extent as to permit one or more blocks to dropfrom the arch; to

form the lower portions of the arch forming members so that they will rest loosely upon the arch supporting tubes, thereby permitting the latter and the arch forming members to have free independent movement, the latter being the result of expansion and contraction due to variations in temperature; to construct the arch forming members so that they cannot drop into position between the arch supporting tubes and exert wedging action thereupon; to provide an arch construction which is made u of a minimum number of difi'erently s aped bricks or blocks; and to form the bricks or blocks so that they may be interchangeably used in the construction of the arch, thereby materially minimizing the initial cost of installation and repair of the arches.

With the foregoing'and other objects in view, our invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts hereinafter more fully described,

claimed and illustrated in the accompany:

ing drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one'of the arch forming blocks contemplated by our invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of a locomotive boiler furnace showing an arch of our improved -construction positioned therein.

Fig. 3 is a vertical'section taken through the center of a locomotive fire box and showing the same ui ed with a t e of the arch illustrated in l ig. 2. yp

Fig. is an enlarged cross section taken approximately on line 11-11, of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an end 'elevational view of the spacing block. Fig. 6 isa plan view of the universal spacng block constructed in accordance with on invention. I Referring by numerals to the accompanymg drawings, 10 designates the flue sheet which serves as the front wall of the fire box; 11 the rear end sheet; 12'the crown sheet and 13 the side sheets.

The type of arch illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, is particularly designed for use in connection with locomotive fire boxes havinga series of arch tubes 14 and in the form of firebox illustrated, there is a pair of these tubes arranged between the-longitudinal center of the re box and each of the side sheets thereof. The central portion of .the arch is made up of a series of substantially rectangular blocks or bricks 24, the ends of which are provided with square lugs 25, The lower portions of these lugs are cut away as desi ated b'y.27 so that said lugs are substantially thinner than the body portion of the. blp ck and when the blocks are properly positioned for use the fiat under faces of said lugs rest directly on top of the central pair of arch tubes 14'. P0- sitioned on top of the pairs of tubes 14 at the ends of the blocks 24 are substantially rectangular blocks 28, each provided on one side with a recess 29 and on the o posite sidewith a lug or extension 30. he resof cesses 29 are substantially rectangular shape when viewed in plan in order to receive the lugs or extensions 25 of the central row of blocks 24. v The lower corners of both sides of the blocks 28 are cut away as designated at 31 thereby making the side portions of said blocks substantlally thinner than the body portions and the fiat under faces of these comparatively thin side portions bear di rectly on top of the pairs of tubes 14*. The

blocks 32 forming the sides of the arch occupy inclined positions between the outer tubes 14 and the side sheets of the fire box a and each blockof the/side'row is provided at its inner end with a recess 33 which receives the corresponding extension onthe adjacent block 28. These recesses 33 aresquare shape.

The lower inner corner of each block 32 is cut away as designated at 34 so as to form a portion which is comparatively thinner than the main body portion of the block and the fiat under face of this comparatively thin portion bears directly on top of the corresponding arch tube 14 The outer ends of the blocks 32 are inclined or beveled with respect to the planes occupied by the top and bottom faces of said blocks so that when the blocks are properly positioned for use, said inclined or beveled faces occupy substantially vertical l positions and bear di rectly against the inner faces of the side sheets of the fire box. It is' also preferable,

though not essential, that the outer corners .Of the blocks32 be cut away as designated by 35,-Fig. 2, so that only the central portrons of the blocks 32 bear against the side locomotive is in service. Owing to the maning the side rows can be utilized to complete either side of the arch and by virtuener in which the various'blocks enterin into the" construction of the arch are forme the central row of blocks 24 can be turned end for end and the blocks 28 and 32 formof such construction the initial cost of the arch 1s.materially reduced, likewise the repair ofthe arch, for, by thus making said looks reversible and interchangeable, it is not necessary for locomotive builders or users to carry in stock a comparatively large number of blocks of difierent shapes [and sizes.

The spacing block 36 utilized between the lower forward end of the arch and the flue sheet is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, said block being substantially rectangular inform and having'length', width, and thick ness of definite dimensions, for instance it has been found desirable and advantageous tmprovide a block having a length of six inches, a width of four inches, and a height of three inches. Formed in the under side of this block is a centrally arranged longitudinally disposed groove 37 and a centrally arranged transversely disposed groove 38. These grooves are of such size as to receive the upper portions of the arch tubes 14*. Formed .in one side of the block is a centrally arranged vertically disposed groove 39 which, when the block is turned into a vertical position, receives the upper portion of one of the arch tubes. One of the upper corners of the block is cut away to form an angular or beveled face 40 and the. upper corner of the side opposite the side in which the groove 39 is formed, is cut away to form a beveled or angular face 41. When this block 36 is positioned lengthwise upon a tube with the latter positioned in groove 37, the beveled face 40 bears against the flue sheet 10 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and when said block is transversely disposed on one of the tubes with the latter occupying groove 38, bevel face 41 bears By our improved constructionof spacing blocks, it ispossible by varying the relative positions of the-blocks to form spaces of varying widthsbetwaen the lower front edge of the arch and the flue sheet. For instance, when the blocks 36 are disposed in substantially upright positions and with the tubes resting in the notches 39, the front lower edge of the archwill be spaced away from the flue sheet a distance slightly greater than three inches and by turning the same block so that it occupies a position lengthwise upon the arch supporting tube, the lower front end of said-arch will be spaced apart from the flue sheet a distance of six inches. Further, when the block is turned transversely so that the flue rests in the groove 38 the lower front edge of the arch will be spaced apart from the flue sheet a distance of four inches.

or more sizes of spacing blocks and said practice requires that the users of locomotives carry in stock a comparatively large number. of blocks of different sizes in order to meet certain requirements, but

- It is the present practice to provide two blocks bear -only upon the highest points of our invention, the scope of which is set of the tubes, practically the entire area'of forth in the appended claim.

the tube surface is exposed to the heat from the furnace fire. The ends of the blocks entering into the construction" of the arch are interlocked in such a manner as to reduce to a minimum the tendency of the blocks in the various rows to get out of alinement and as all of the blocks in each longitudinal row are of the same size and construction said blocks can be interchange ably usedon either side of the arch, thus greatly facilitating the installation and maintenance of the arches and materially reducing the cost thereof.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of our improved locomotive fire boX arch can be made and substituted for {those herein shown and described, Without departing from the spirit We claim':

In combination with a locomotive fire box provided with front and rear Water legs, an arch composed of a series of inter- -engag-ingblocks, the-ends of the adjacent blocks being cut away so as to form substantially semi-circular grooves when said blocks are assembled, and a series of water tubes traversing the grooves, the diameter of the water tubes being substantially smaller than the Width of the grooves.

In testimony whereof We hereunto ailix signatures in the presence of two witnesses, this 2nd day of Sept, 1916.

EDGAR M. MOLEAN. CHARLES B. YODER. Witnesses: M. P. SMITH, M. A. HANDEL. 

